This invention relates to marine drives, and more particularly to an improved propeller shaft bearing carrier arrangement in both outboard motor and stern drive applications.
Heretofore, the aft portion of the horizontal propeller shaft of a marine drive has been journalled in bearings disposed longitudiually spaced forwardly from the propeller hub. Maximum support of the associated parts has not been accomplished. Furthermore, in previous bearing carrier constructions for marine propeller shafts, the sealing means between the carrier and the gear case has been located just aft and closely adjacent the vertical main drive shaft, with portions of the gear case extending rearwardly from the seals. Corrosion between the bearing carrier and gear case has been observed with this construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide bearing support to the propeller shaft as close to the center of the propeller as possible; and to reduce corrosion between the bearing carrier and gear case by reducing the possibility of penetration of ambient water into the gear case to avoid corrosion problems in a bearing carrier system.
In accordance with various aspects of the invention, a marine drive for a boat broadly includes a construction wherein the propeller supporting bearing device is disposed in a recess inside the propeller hub. In the present embodiment, a bearing carrier is concentrically associated with a propeller shaft. The carrier is provided with a rearwardly extending nose portion which is telescoped within a forwardly facing recess in an adjustment rearward propeller hub. The propeller shaft is journalled in the bearing device which is disposed between the carrier and the shaft and within the recess. In one aspect of the invention, the carrier is prevented from rotating about the shaft axis. In another aspect, a sealing device is disposed between the propeller shaft and the rear end portion of an adjacent supporting gear case. In the embodiment disclosed, dual propellers and dual bearing carriers are utilized, with bearing carrier noses disposed in recesses in both propeller hubs.